AU Commission Chairperson horrified at the assassination of General Adolphe Nshimirimana in Burundi

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, August 3, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, is horrified at the assassination of Burundi's General Adolphe Nshimirimana, a former army Chief of Staff and head of Burundi's Intelligence Service. The assassination of General Adolphe Nshimirimana and his bodyguards took place on Sunday, 2 August 2015, in Bujumbura, capital of Burundi.

The Chairperson of the AU Commission expresses her sincere condolences to the families of the deceased, and to the Government of Burundi.

The AU Commission Chairperson strongly condemns this barbaric act that is likely to further destabilise the country. She calls on all Burundians to exercise utmost restraint, not be provoked and to refrain from any acts of retaliation that would only further escalate and complicate the already bad situation.

The Chairperson of the AU Commission urges the Burundian government, the opposition political parties and civil society to work very closely together to find a lasting solution to the current crisis.

To this end, the Chairperson of the AU Commission reiterates the AU's commitment to continue working with all parties to help bring back peace and stability to Burundi and end the suffering of its people.